It was only a point and only a single goal, but that was much better.

The team looked like a team again. Ozil was the best player on the pitch, closely followed by Xhaka and then Torreira. Our midfield was all of a sudden balanced. Ozil creating 3 really good chances in the first 11 minutes and looking class until he was withdrawn on about 75 minutes, presumably the lack of game time taking a physical toll.

Torreira did everything we expected from him when he signed, he hustled and harried, won ball after ball and layed it off effectively.

Xhaka sat deep, always ready to take the ball and distribute it with a variety of fantastic passes.

Saka and AMN both coped well defensively and the two center backs look quite secure.

Sadly there were some negatives as well.

Lacazette had a poor game, and that’s being kind. Maybe his being dropped has affected his confidence,or maybe his performance tell us why he has been dropped?

I thought Nelson struggled as well, he and Saka squandered some really good opportunities to deliver a telling final ball, in fact even a half decent final ball was not to be seen.

All in all it was a game we should have won on our performance, there were huge green shoots of improvement.

Well done boys and well done Mikel, after just 3 days training , outstanding progress.

A point is a point, as they say.

I have to be honest though, Everton were awful.

In the spirit  of the blog , let’s look at the positives. We fielded an awfully young team and we didn’t lose. I thought David Luiz had a fine game, I feel that when he is on the ball he brings an urgency and progression that drives the team forward as a unit. Chambers was solid and for once we saw a CB pairing that worked well together.

Xhaka once again showed that  his distractors rate his performance before a ball is kicked, some of his long passing was sublime and he ended the game with a 90%+ passing,he also made some important clearances and interceptions. He is a fine player and I hope Mikel can convince him to stay.

Amn and Saka did not let themselves down in any way,both looking dangerous on the rare occasions that the ventured forward. I suspect they were told to be conservative.

No need to be critical of any of the other players because all we can ask is that the give their all, i think they did, no lack of effort from anyone.

Mikel has a big job, but I am convinced he is the right man for us.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

It’s official, Mikel Arteta is the new Arsenal head coach. 

Since the departure of Unai Emery there have been endless discussions , articles, podcasts and twitter threads from people with various levels of insight and knowledge, about who should take over. As ever, just about everyone is positive that their choice is the right choice and any other choice will be a huge mistake by the imbeciles running the club. Now that Arteta is confirmed there will be endless discussions, articles, podcasts and twitter threads telling us why it is the right thing, or why it’s total bollocks of an appointment. So, let me start.

I have wanted Mikel as our manager, above all others, since his final year as club captain. Why? Because he was Arsene on the field when he played. He was for me the epitome of everything good at Arsenal. He put in 100% every minute of every game, he led, instructed, cajoled and fought, all while showing a style of play that was the essence of Wengerball.

Of course that was as a player, other players have done as much, so why him as a coach , you might reasonably ask?

Well it was because of his clear understanding of the game, everything he said and did reflected a grasp of shape , tactics, tempo and desire that I felt he would bring to the table as a manager/coach.

Every interview, every word about how he saw the game , every moment spent discussing with Arsene, suggested he had the credentials.

We have all seen the quotes from Arsene, Pep and Poch, waxing lyrical about his potential, I can’t really think of three better endorsees.

I am led to believe he was hugely respected by his team mates, but not particularly popular, Why? Because he demand they all give their all in games and training and was quick to let them know they when they should be giving more. Well isn’t that exactly what we want from a coach?

I for one could not be happier. Yes he faces many problems with the squad, he has no experience, but so what? The appointment gives me hope that we will see, sooner or later,  the return of the kind of football that I want to watch, the values that I want to support and the return of The Arsenal I love.

Mikel came to us at our lowest ebb as a player and he comes to us at a bad period now, if he has half the effect he had as a player, good times will return.

I simply love the man.

I will leave you with the words and thoughts of the man himself ,

“When I was younger my dream was always to play for Barcelona. But after that, if you had asked me where I would like to play when I first arrived in the UK, the answer would have been Arsenal – and that’s the truth. The way they played, the team they had, the philosophy of attacking football, they enjoyed playing the way I do and I would have chosen them ahead of any other. Now that I’m here, I feel so proud to be part of this football club. What they’ve done with it, how they’ve managed it and built it up, is unbelievable.”

and

“One is Arsène Wenger, of course – he has a philosophy that he’s never going to change because he really believes in it. That is the most important thing, because if you don’t really believe in something then you’ll just change it after one bad result and drive your players crazy.”

Now than , as they say  This IS MY MANAGER !

Good morning campers

Arsenal have qualified through the group stages in Europe for the 18th consecutive season, albeit the last two in the 2nd tier competition.

Last night we managed it courtesy of the result in the other fixture and our own opponents being rather poor, although they were good enough to build up a two  goal lead. Or should I say we were bad enough to go two goals behind.

I don’t intend to dissect the game or crucify certain players because frankly the team and just about every player struggled, all I will say is that none of the usual scapegoats played, so it’s a struggle for their haters to blame them.

In mitigation Freddie has several injuries to cope with and a good few more that really needed the rest with our festive fixture list iminent.

Once again we see how a goal and an assist suddenly turn player that struggled in a game against third tier opponents  into a world beater that should start in the PL against very much top tier opponents in the PL come sunday. Well, according to many fans that is.

With Xhaka out I fear for our midfield come Sunday, City probably have the best midfield in the world, and we? Well we just don’t have one.

But it’s not all doom and gloom because Martinelli took only 15 minutes to impress.

P.S. Let’s not be falling out over politics.